Portable shell case



June 3, i958 R ,WILUAMS v213531258 l PORTABLE SHELL CASE Filedv April 6. 1956 INVENTOR nite rates the present invention is related to shell cases for hunting, for target practice, and for'military usejwhich, if desired, may be designed for easy attachment to the belt of an individual, forportability; more particularly, the present invention is directed toward the providing of a new andvuseful portable shell case for carrying extra rounds of ammunition, this shell case being adapted for easy loading and particularly easy unloading, which unloading may be accomplished by the exertion of slight pressure by the third and fourth fingers of either thejright hand or left hand upon the round, rather than by the conventional, pulling out operation asis required with shell cases currently in. use. The present shell case is particularly adaptedfor housing high-power,` riiie shells of the rimless variety. .f s

Accordingly, it is an object-of the present invention to provide a new and useful portable shell' case which is adapted to accommodate the housing therewithin of an appreciable number of extra rounds of ammunition, particularly those of the high power, rimless, rifle shell variety.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and useful portable shell case which will be ex-- tremely well suited for easy loading and unloading thereof, the aforementioned unloading being accomplished by the exertion of slight pressure by the third and fourth fingers of the hand When in cupped disposition upon the last enclosed riiie shell.

According to the present invention, a housing member is provided with a spring loaded, translatable follower which is adapted to exert a kdownward thrust upon the shells loaded within the housing member. A guide element cooperates with the follower to direct outcoming shells in a channel only as wide as the width of a single shell, even though the majority of the shells within the housing member may be disposed in staggered relationship. A spring loaded retaining member releasably Generally speaking,

' secures the'last loaded shell' in proximate relation between a slotlike,'escape area and a linger admittance aperture,A

both provided in the lower region of the housing member. Slight pressure exerted, for example, by the third and fourth lingers of either hand (depending upon which side of the body the wearer has his shell case) upon the last loaded shell will cause the shell to progress outwardly through the escape area provided in the housing member and thus be ejected therefrom.

The features of the present lieved` to be novel are set forth appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operatio together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a portable shell case according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the apparatus of Figure 1,

invention which are bewith particularity in the the last loaded shell within second part).

tively, the ends of which ice showing with particularity the nger admittance aperture provided in the housing member of the apparatus to accommodate shell extraction therefrom by means of the operators third and fourth fingers, for example.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portable shell case according to the present invention strapped to the right side of the wearer by means of his belt, showing howA the housing member may be ejected from the shell case by means of, for example, the third and fourth fingers of the right hand of the wearer.

In Figure l, housing member 10 is shown to include spring 11 and follower 12 mechanically atxed or otherwise related to spring 11. Follower 1.2 may have a sub1A parts (of which front face portion 16 may comprise one part and the remainder yof the housing comprise the Belt ring elements 17 and 18 may be aixed last to the rear face portion 37 of housing member 10 during its fabrication process. The remainder of guide element 14 may comprise central portion 19 and channel portion Z0, to which L-brackets 21 and 4Z2 may be aixed by means of spot-welding. Channel portion 20 cooperates with the rear face portion 37 to form a channel restricting shell progression to single file progression iny the region thereof. Wing nuts 23 and 24, for example, may cooperate with threaded shafts 2S and 26, respec-4 are aliixed to retaining member 27. `Compression springs 28 and 29 are mounted upon shafts 25 and 26 for exerting repulsion forces upon retaining member 27 with respect to L-brackets 21 and 22. Retaining member 27 may comprise main portion 30, shoulder portion 31, and end portion 32, the combination forming a unitary, contoured retaining member for accomplishing the appropriate retention of last loaded shell 33. Lip portions 34 and 35 of housing member 10 operate as suitable supports for the last loaded shell within the housing and also to detine the escape area 36 for shell ejection and also the linger admittance area (shown in Figure 2). lt should be mentioned with reference to the spring loading means provided for follower 12 that spring 11 may consist either of a leaf spring (as shown) ora rectangular, loose coil spring of a conventional variety. Other types of spring arrangements might be employed with equal effectiveness;

Figure 2 illustrates a rear view ofthe apparatus of Figure l, showing with particularity the delineation of finger admittance area 2th) by lip portions 34 and 35 of the Figure l apparatus. The last loaded shell 33 is shown within housing member 10 in the region of finger admittance aperture 200, ready for ejection.

Figure 3 illustrates the apparatus of Figure l when strapped on the belt 300 of the wearer, illustrating the manner in which the last loaded shell may be ejected from the instant shell case apparatus. Numbers 301 and 302 represent the third and fourth fingers, for example, of the right hand of the shell case wearer. It becomes apparent from the illustration of the apparatus in Figure 3 that by the slight exertion of pressure by the third and fourth ngers of the hand through finger admittance area 200 (of Figure 2) that the last loaded shell may be conveniently ejected from escape area 36 (see Figure 1).

Thus, from a consideration of the various figures, it becomes apparent that the present apparatus facilitates loading and unloading of several spare shells therewithin. The design of the apparatus permits the enclosure of fteen high speed rie shells, for example, within an unusually small volume since, by virtue of the design of the guide element 14 (see Figure l) the shells may be staggered throughout the major portion of the inner region of housingmember 10. And yet, by the unique design of guide element 14, the several shells are channeled through a small space which allows them to be ejected one at a time, by the accomplishment of outward thrust upon the last loaded shell past retaining member 27 (in Figure l), The easy manner in which shell ejection is accomplished, as illustrated in Figure 3 and the discussion relating thereto, is of prime importance; namely, by exerting by the third and fourth lingers, for example, of the handv when in a ycupped disposition upon the last loaded shell, the shell will be ejected easily from its container. The variousV dimensions of the Vportable shell case of the present invention will `-of course vary with kthe caliber shell used and with the number of shells desired to be enclosed thereby.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all Vsuch changes and modifica tions as fall within the vtrue spirit and scope of this invention.

l claim:

l. A shell case for containing .shells or eXtra rounds of ammunition including, in'combination: a housing member including7 a front face portion, a rear 'face portion, and first and second lip portions, said first and second lip portions defining lower, contiguous, shell ejection and finger admittance areas; a guide element disposed within said housing member and including a flanged end portion and an inclined central portion, said anged end portion being aflixed to said front face portion; a spring loaded retaining member disposed within said housing member substantially parallel V-to saidfirst and second lip portions and in proximity with'said shell ejection and said linger admittance areas; and a vvertically translatable spring loaded follower disposed within said housing member and adapted to cooperate with said guiderelement for routin,` shells within said housing member in single tile relation ship in the region of said retaining member.

2. Apparatus according to claim l in which said guid element also includes a channel portion contiguous witl said inclined central portion,` said channel portion coop erating with said rear face portion of said housing member to form a channel restricting shell progression tc single le progression in the region thereof.

3. .Apparatus according to claim l in which said retaining member is contoured to have a main portion, an inclined shoulder portion, and an -end portion, all being adapted to cooperate with corresponding portions of a shell to be retained thereby.

4. Apparatus `according to claim 2 in which said retaining member is contoured to have amain portion, an inclined shoulder portion, and an end portion, all being adapted to cooperate with corresponding portions of a shellfto be retained thereby.

5. Apparatus laccording-to claim l in which said fol lower has Va relief area adapted to admit, progressively, said guide element ytherewithin for progressively lower dispositions of said follower within Vsaid housing member.

6. Apparatus according to ,claim l in which said contiguous, shell ejection and finger admittance areas defined by said lip portions of saidhousing member are unitary.

'7. Apparatusaccording to `claim l in which at least one L-bracket is mountedvupon said guide element in the region between said guide element and said front face portion of said housing member for mounting said spring loaded retaining .member thereto.

8. Apparatus according to claim l in which first and second L-brackets are mounted upon said guide element in the region between said guide element and saidfront face yportion ofsaid housing 1member for mounting said spring loaded retaining member thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

